Why Books Like ‘Divergent’ Are Turning Standardized Tests Into Villains

What do the novels “Divergent” by Veronica Roth, “Legend” by Marie Lu, “The Unwanteds” by Lisa McMann, “Red Rising” by Pierce Brown, and “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins all have in common?

A) All five books are bestsellers.

B) All five books are examples of young adult dystopian fiction.

C) All five books revolve around tests or contests that determine the future of young adult characters.

D) All of the above.

The answer is D). Earlier this month, the College Board announced sweeping changes to the SAT college entrance exam, including making the essay section optional and doing away with some vocabulary words. Over the last few years, however, young adult novelists have been doing their own reimagining of standardized tests, portraying them as life and death trials that divide friends and neighbors, and that form the basis for tyrannical, inegalitarian societies.